


The Price of Adoration

by sodakooh



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Freeing Aaravos, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, OKAY LISTEN, Other, POV Second Person, Possibly Unrequited Love, and i wasn't planning to, but then uhhhh a few people and i were talking in february and uhh, i also really love writing things in second person, i mean you kinda collapse because dark magic is spooky scary, i swore to myself i wouldn't ever write x reader fics, i take my hobbies seriously, it is currently september 16, no beta we die like men!, this has been in my drafts since february 19th
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 07:56:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20671922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sodakooh/pseuds/sodakooh
Summary: Every choice you've made has led up to this exact moment. You trust him with your life. is freeing Aaravos the best course if action, or are you blinded by your own devotion?





	The Price of Adoration

**Author's Note:**

> this just in: mysterious handsome seductive elf is still mysterious and seductive

You had several ingredients displayed in front of you on the silver tray, somehow glimmering even without much light. You could recognize some of them as ingredients for a powerful dark magic spell, and that thought alone sent a shiver up your spine. It wasn’t your first time performing dark magic, but you had never cast any spell like… this.

“Getting cold feet?” you heard a deep voice rumble into your ear. You glanced up into the mirror, where the elf on the other side just cocked an eyebrow. He always had an ability to make your knees turn to jelly—not literally, of course, but who knows how far his magic extends?

You shook your head, looking back down at the tools and ingredients. “No. Well, I just…”

You let your voice trail off, unsure of what you were even going to say. This was for Aaravos. This was all for Aaravos, the one who’s helped you through the toughest portions of your life. The one to give you guidance with that baritone voice of his.

“Do you trust me?”

The question sent goosebumps all over your arms. His voice sounded like it completely enveloped your burning skin in a cool, soothing fabric.

“Of course,” you replied without hesitation. It seemed to please Aaravos, because he offered you a soft, genuine smile—one that could be considered rare. You smiled back in response, then looked back down at your tools.

“Let’s get started.”

You began mixing the ingredients—dissecting monster parts and crushing elements, while certain things bubbles and smelled once adding them together. Aaravos was there with you the whole time as well, murmuring praise directly into your mind. It took long to create the perfect potion, but once everything had been mixed, it required one last ingredient.

You took the elegant blade from the tray and held it to your hand. It was similar to when you first contacted Aaravos, your brain humorously supplied.

“Yes.. that’s it,” Aaravos encouraged, watching you work with a look of intrigue.

You pulled the blade across the palm of your hand, watching as the crimson liquid mesmerizingly dripped into the chalice. It fizzled, turning a deep purple that looked somewhat similar to the shade of Aaravos’ horns. The brew was intimidating, but you still hovered your non-injured hand over it.

Suddenly, it felt like you were in a trance. A static sensation spread through your neck, your shoulders, your arms, all the way into your fingertips around the edge of the chalice. A single name was on the tip of your tongue, and it rolled out with a distorted echo.

_ **“Aaravos.”** _

As soon as the name was spoken, the brew began slowly swirling around. You began casting the spell, the liquid being carried out of the chalice and coating the mirror in a thin layer of purple.

You could barely register what was happening to you; it was as if you were stuck on autopilot. You did notice through your haze, the mirror in which you had gazed through for so many hours begin to disintegrate. What replaced it was even more terrifying, though; there was a dark, ominous mass simply hovering there, and if you looked hard enough, you swore you could see something glowing inside. You had no time to search, however, as the last incantations were shouted.

As soon as the last words left your mouth, you collapsed onto the ground in pure exhaust.

At first, you didn’t feel anything.

Then you felt everything at once.

You felt the dread weighing on your chest, just enough to make you wheeze slightly. You felt the remains of dark magic escape your fingertips. You felt as though every degree of cold had been seeped from your body and you were left with nothing but a searing heat, too hot for you to cope with.

Miraculously, cool, slender hands crept across your sweaty, pale forehead. You unconsciously tried to follow it, desperate for any sort of relief.

“Beautiful,” a familiar voice cooed. “That was beautiful.”

You somehow found enough strength to crack your eyes open. You were greeted with the sight of Aaravos, his eyes and markings glowing in the dim light and his pearly hair framing his face perfectly. He had your head in his lap, gingerly stroking your cheeks as he continued speaking.

“My magic certainly suits you, you know,” he complimented, placing a cold and damp cloth you could only assume he’d gotten from somewhere in the room.

”It worked…” you mumbled, voice weak and scratchy. “You’re… free?”

“How else would I be here?” Aaravos asked in return, shifting the ice and cloth to another section of your forehead. “You’ve done me a great service. For that I owe you my life, starlight.”

You felt the cloth on your forehead slip off gently, followed by Aaravos helping you stand up. The floor beneath you shifted drastically and you saw stars dancing along your vision, so you had to gesture for Aaravos to slow down.

”What are you doing?” you asked, feeling the steady pressure of his arm around your waist keep you upright.

Aaravos hadn’t taken his eyes off you since he stepped out of the mirror, you had realized, and the thought alone made you shiver. His devoted attention felt something like a gift, and the chuckle he emitted was a taste of sweet pleasure.

“Didn’t I make you a promise, my starlight?” he teased, the deep rumble of his voice enhanced by your proximity. “You helped me, and now let me help you.”

You looked away from Aaravos for a moment, hot disappointment spreading through your chest. Was this all it was? Was he helping you because he needed to? Were you foolish enough to believe he thought of you as more than a contract? A deal?

The train of thought was thrown wildly off course as a cool hand brushed your cheek gingerly, slender fingers moving to tilt your chin. “Now, now, don’t get trapped in that head of yours,” Aaravos chided, and you briefly wondered if he could read minds. Probably not, you thought, but maybe you should ask him what his intentions were. Besides, he couldn’t lie, right?

”Aaravos, are you just—“

”Hush now,” he interrupted. “You need to rest. You’re burning up and can hardly stand.”

You nodded slowly, but even that made your stomach uneasy. “I… okay. I’m in your hands.”

Something flickered in Aaravos’ eyes, although just as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. The expression was replaced with a smile, and for a moment it almost seemed like the stars scattered across his skin glowed just that much brighter.

“Thank you, starlight.”

**Author's Note:**

> aaravos' motives are up for interpretation ;)))


End file.
